


Eyes That Can't See

by agentwashingtin



Series: Origins AU [3]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Gen, Minecraft!AU, kings!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-26
Updated: 2014-09-26
Packaged: 2018-02-18 08:56:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2342588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentwashingtin/pseuds/agentwashingtin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>“Try to understand, Ray. This isn’t personal, but the kingdom is mine to rule. It doesn't belong to anybody else." Ryan's eyes flashed. "That includes you.”</em>
</p><p>  <em>Ryan stepped forward and raised his hand. Ray faltered backwards as Ryan swung forward, and a blast of pain radiated out from the side of Ray’s head. He crumpled to the ground, eyes flickering shut when his knees made jarring contact with the dirt. His last look caught the regretful expression that flashed across Ryan’s face before he saw no more.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Eyes That Can't See

**Author's Note:**

> here's another bonus part to my kings au fic while i'm waiting for part two of king gavin to come out uwu

There was something... Something was wrong. Ray couldn't place it, but it nagged at the back of his mind like an incessant itch. The grass underneath him was cool in the night air, but even in the dark Ray could tell that the color wasn't as vibrant as it should have been. Achievement City was in the peak of summer, but the grass looked as it would in the dead of winter: brown and lifeless. Frowning, he stood from the ground and wiped the dirt and grass from his clothes. As he adjusted himself, he spun slowly, scanning his surroundings, shoulders tense. The clearing around him looked the same, but it held that uneasy feeling he could sense throughout his entire body. It was as if he were in a room where someone had died; everything superficial was untouched, but the room still felt unfamiliar.

His gaze wandered up to the sky. The stars seemed unusually dim, even though there was no other light to detract from their glow.

"Hello?" he called, but his voice was muffled, watery.

Suddenly it struck him. Ryan. Where had Ryan gone?

He looked around the clearing again, the back of his neck prickling. The trees swayed in a light breeze and he shivered against the cold and the noise the branches made as they scraped together.

Slowly he left the clearing, all the while looking over his shoulder. He jogged lightly back to the castle, stomach still clenched in a tight knot. He didn't understand...

He skidded to a stop in front of the castle and looked up at the barren structure, eyes wide.

"Hello?" he shouted again.

Receiving no answer, he burst through the doors of the castle and frantically checked through the rooms, but they all lay dark and empty, no sign of anyone there but him. He ran back to the throne room and stopped in the middle, hands clutching at his bow nervously. His heart thudded painfully against his chest as he collapsed to the ground.

He was alone.

* * *

Ray didn't know how long he sat in the throne room, clinging to his bow and staring up at the throne. His mind raced, but at the same time he didn't think. He couldn't. There was a heaviness pulling at the back of his eyes, enticing him to sleep, but he didn't want to close them. A stray thought tugged at him. There was a reason why he felt so tired, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Drawing a blank, he tried to remember how his confrontation with Ryan had ended. Why had he woken up alone in the clearing? Where was everyone? Why was he so tired...

Nothing came to him.

He pulled his knees up to his chest with a sigh. Why couldn't he remember...

He jerked suddenly as the memories flowed back to him, causing him to drop his bow to the ground with a clatter. Ryan back from the Nether and threatening to take his kingdom away. Ryan coming at him, fist swinging towards his face, and then- nothing. What was going on?

Ray's head snapped up as the throne doors opened with a drawn-out creak. "Ray? What are you doing in here? Are you hurt?"

He jerked his head away, blinking against the fire of a fresh torch, the new light jarring, and then gasped. He scrambled to his feet and drew his bow in a swift motion. The bowstring quivered rapidly at the force of his movement.

"Whoa, whoa!" Ryan backed up, hands in the air. "Calm down. Is something wrong? Did someone attack you?"

Ryan's face was open and earnest, something it hadn't been in the clearing. Ray's grip on his bow faltered. 

"What..." Ray started weakly. He swallowed and clenched his fist around the grip of his bow, steadying his hold on the arrow. "Don't- don't move."

Ryan stayed frozen, but his eyes traveled across Ray's face, worry plain on his features. "I'm not going to hurt you, Ray."

Ray's arms shook. Ryan zeroed in on the reaction and a muscle in his jaw jumped. He took a step forward. The tension in the room was thick and heavy around Ray, and it felt like it was constricting his chest. His gaze followed Ryan as the other man lowered his arms, palms still up in a placating gesture.

Ray relaxed his hold on his bow, fingers cracking as they unwound from around the grip, and he sank down to the floor. Ryan lurched forward with a muttered exclamation and met Ray as he hit the stone. He reached out a hand and Ray flinched away. Ryan stopped short, a look of hurt confusion flashing across his face.

"Ray, please, what happened?" Ryan pleaded, bright eyes scanning Ray's face.

Ray opened his mouth to say something, anything, to try and figure out how to get away. Then he froze. Ryan looked different. Not just different. Younger. Among the dim world around him, Ryan was the only thing that looked normal. His hair shone like copper in the flickering torchlight, and the rich colors of his cloak were bright and clear. However, the most striking difference was the lack of the horrible scar marring Ryan's skin, and the polished silver circlet resting on his head.

"Ray?" Ryan questioned again.

"You're... Wait-" Ray straightened up. "Where am I?"

Ryan's eyes creased in concern. "You're in the throne room. Did you hit your head?"

"No, you-" Ray stopped. "Is this a dream?"

Ryan chuckled a bit. "Are you sure you didn't hit your head?"

Ray swallowed. "Where is everyone?"

Ryan opened his mouth to reply and then stopped, glancing around. Now he looked confused and disoriented.

Ray bit his lip. "Ryan... This isn't real, is it?"

Ryan rocked back on his heels and then stood. Ray blinked, and suddenly Ryan had disappeared, vanishing into the air like eddying smoke.

The stone seemed to cool under Ray. He let out a heavy breath and the air that puffed out in front of him was white and frosty. Ray shook his head and got to his feet slowly, hooking his bow over his shoulder as he did. He debated calling out Ryan's name, but decided against it. He was still wary of his surroundings and of Ryan's mysterious disappearance. He didn't want to draw unwanted attention to himself.

His footsteps were quiet against the stone as he made his way out of the castle. It was dark still, his dim version of the stars and moon barely giving off any light.

The grounds around the castle were just as empty as the rest of the city. Rows of trees, vines and roses lined the paths that led into the garden behind the castle. Ray walked along the stone path, kicking up dead leaves and rose petals with each step. The farther he went into the garden, the more death he saw. Dry, brown vines choked the wilting roses and ensnared the once mighty oaks. The death and decay grew steadily worse until the normally breathtaking garden was a barren wasteland. His heart ached for the plants he had spent so long admiring and tending to.

Ray twisted an arrow in his fingers, head down and deep in thought, until a whisper startled him into awareness.

_"Ray, look at me."_

Ray turned around, searching through the dead branches of the trees for the source of the voice.

_"... buddy. Answer me."_

It was Michael's voice, that much Ray was sure. But he didn't see any sign of the knight.

Ray chanced a shout. "Michael?"

No answer.

Ray continued down the path, listening carefully for Michael's voice. He turned a corner and suddenly found himself in an area that seemed to be untouched by the plague that had killed the rest of the garden. The small courtyard was healthy and vibrant, colors bright and normal for summer. It was warmer there too, with a breeze that kept the air a pleasant temperature.

He stepped into the courtyard, past trellises climbing with twisting vines and vividly red roses. Stone benches lined the edges of the courtyard, some shadowed by the overhanging branches of the oak trees, some sitting under the open sky. On one of these benches was a familiar figure, silver crown reflecting back the dull light of the moon. Ray's hands went cold.

"What are you doing out here?" Ryan asked, turning to face Ray. "Couldn't sleep?"

Ray didn't answer, playing with the arrow clasped in his fingers. "What the hell is going on?" he muttered.

"Sit with me," Ryan said, patting the space next to him.

Ray approached the bench and took his place next to Ryan, looking up at the stars at Ryan's insistence. Ray brought his bow to his lap and ran his fingers over the wood nervously. The silence was oppressive, and Ray tried to ignore the prickling at the back of his neck that told him something was wrong.  _This isn't Ryan_ , he reminded himself.  _This is..._  But he didn't know who it was. A Ryan from his past, possibly. Or maybe the Ryan that would exist had things not gone the way they had. The Ryan that Ray wished was real.

"Do you know any constellations?" Ryan asked, interrupting Ray's thoughts.

"Yeah, you-" Ray paused, pieces suddenly falling into place in his head, pushing back the fog. "You taught them to me. I've been here before."

Ryan just smiled, face turned towards the sky. He raised one hand and pointed. "See that one there? The teapot shaped one? That's Sagittarius, the archer. It's supposedly a centaur, but the myth surrounding it is skewed."

Ray sat back, staring up at the stars too dull to see. Ryan named off each one perfectly as if they were as bright as normal.

"How do you know all these?" Ray found himself asking.

Ryan paused, lowering his hand, eyes still trained on the stars. "You have a lot of extra time in the evenings when you're a farmer. Some old friends taught them to me. I spent many nights in my fields, listing them off in my head, imagining them as guides. When you move around as much as I did, you learn to find companionship with the things that stay the same."

Ray bent his head forward, tapping his fingers together and sighing. After a moment, he said, "This isn't real. This already happened."

To Ray's surprise, Ryan answered. "You're right. You're dreaming. Well, remembering is more accurate, I suppose."

"But why? I don't understand. I've never had dreams this vivid before." Ray clasped his hands before him. "And if I know I'm dreaming, why can't I wake up?"

"That I don't know," Ryan said. "This," he swept out his hand, indicating the garden before them, "is all part of your head. The mind tends to latch onto what you were thinking about before you fell asleep. I must have been on your mind."

Ray tensed, flicking the string of his bow. "You could say that."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Ray sighed again. He debated not saying anything, getting up and finding a different memory. But, he realized, he didn't want to avoid it. So he explained to Ryan what had happened. Ryan listened in silence, face unchanging.

"I'm so sorry," Ray finished.

"For what?" Ryan asked quietly.

Ray ran his fingernail over the grooves in his bow. "For what you'll become. That I wasn't able to stop it."

Ray tilted his head. "What will I become?"

"You heard what I said," Ray answered. "You're a broken man. A man who thinks he's alone in the world, when that couldn't be farther from the fucking truth."

Ryan turned towards him. "Why would I think that?"

Ray faced him, meeting his gaze. "I wish I knew. Then maybe I would be able to help."

"Is it really so hopeless that you've given up before you've started?"

Ray's fists tightened. "You don't know what it's like to see someone you care about become a shadow of themselves. I don't know if there's anything left  _to_  save. This Ryan, my memory of you, is not the same man I know now. I think he died the moment he stepped into the Nether and I didn't go after him."

Ryan was quiet, staring at Ray with a troubled look on his face.

"I just wish I could have prevented it," Ray whispered.

"I don't know if you could have," Ryan finally said. "From what you've told me, I made poor decisions, but they were my fault alone. I appreciate everything you've done for me, Ray, from the moment you came to Achievement City. I became a better man. But there was something in me that was incapable of trusting you and the others. It wasn't anything on your part. It was who I was. Who I am."

Ray bowed his head, guilt clenching at his heart. "I'm sorry."

"Hey." Ryan nudged Ray's shoulder with his own. "Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe when you wake up you can speak with me, and we can figure something out. This doesn't have to be the end."

Ray wanted to hope, but he could feel in his chest that Ryan was right. There was a part of Ryan that Ray would never understand. By the look on Ryan's face, he knew it too.

 _They could both believe, though_ , Ray thought as he went back to looking at the stars with Ryan. He thought they looked a little brighter.

* * *

Ray sat with Ryan until the pale rays of dawn began peeking over the trees. He hadn't slept, but the light seemed to startle him from a stupor, and when he looked up he noticed that Ryan had disappeared. There was no trace of the other man anywhere in the garden, and the stone next to him was cool and sprinkled with dew. Ryan must have left hours ago without Ray noticing.

He stood from the bench and stretched, a yawn passing through his lips. There was a distinct lack of other noise coming from the woods, something he hadn't noticed the night before. Slowly, he made his way back down the path he had come from, eyes trailing over the dead plants with apprehension. It still unnerved him to see the life taken from the normally stunning flora. Now that he knew he was dreaming, or in a memory, as Ryan had said, he couldn't help but wonder why only a select few locations appeared normal.

He spent the rest of the day exploring the city. Occasionally, he'd see flashes of other people or animals wandering through the town, but none stayed in his vision like Ryan had.

For weeks, it seemed, he explored his city, growing more and more worried as to why he hadn't woken up. He still wasn't exactly sure what had happened, but the creeping feeling on his skin hadn't abated.

One morning found him on the coast of northern Achievement City. He was strolling down the beach, dragging his boots through the sand with sluggish carelessness. The coast was littered with driftwood and sharp bits of rock, far from the pristine, white sand Ray was used to in the real world. He had paused near a familiar structure, now fallen victim to rot and decay, when he heard Michael's voice again.

_"...no matter what I do..."_

Ray's head perked up, and he twisted around to stare at the trees lining the beach.

 _"...not good enough,"_  Michael was saying. His voice faded out and then back in, louder than before.  _"We miss you."_

That struck Ray. He reeled back, abandoning his search and resigning to the fact that Michael wasn't really there. His knees met the sand and he gasped, the fall startling him almost as much as Michael's words. He pressed his hands into the sand, curling his fingers into the shifting substance.  _How long had he been gone?_

A bark made him jump, and he looked up to see Ryan striding towards him. A trained wolf trotted at his heels, the gold on its collar shimmering in the morning sun.

"Making a sandcastle?" Ryan teased as he got closer.

Ray swallowed, releasing the sand in his hands and brushing his palms off on his trousers. He laughed shakily. "Jack's the carpenter. Not me."

Ryan chuckled. "That's right. How could I forget?" He grinned and then turned to the wolf and let out a short pattern of whistles. The wolf barked happily and dashed into the water, splashing through the small waves.

Ray remembered a similar morning. He'd been helping Gavin design a new dock for the fishermen of Achievement City, and Ryan had come to supervise them. It had ended with Ryan calling his wolf on Gavin, who chased Gavin into the surf, leaving him soaking and covered in sand. It had been one of the few times that Ryan had let his guard down and really enjoyed himself, laughing until he was crying, with Ray leaning on his shoulder for support.

Ray looked at the decrepit dock in front of him and tried to remember being that happy now.

He stood up next to Ryan and watched as the wolf jumped through the water, coming to shore and shaking out its fur, then rushing back in again. Ray enjoyed Ryan's silent presence at his side. It had been weeks since he'd last seen another human, or a human figment of his imagination. Though he hadn't noticed it then, he felt the crushing ache of loneliness wash over him, leaving him unconsciously stepping closer to Ryan.

"How long has it been?" he whispered to himself, echoing his thought from earlier.

"Sorry?" Ryan voiced, turning towards him.

Ray shivered at the breeze coming off the water. "Nothing. I... It's nothing."

Ryan shrugged. He clasped his hands in front of him. "If something is troubling you..."

Ray shook his head. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing you can help with, anyway. At least, I don't think so."

"Well, you know you can always come to me. I am your king, after all." Ryan smiled.

The wolf came bounding back to them, shaking sea water over their boots. Ryan patted Ray's shoulder and then turned and walked back towards the castle, disappearing in a swirl of sand and mist.

Ray sighed, watching the sand settle. "I know."

* * *

Months went by, and Ray was no closer to figuring out how to wake up. He started to wonder if he was dead, and if he was trapped in some sort of limbo, with only Ryan to occasionally keep him company.

Every few weeks Ryan would appear, his actions eerily mimicking some memory that Ray had of him. Ray never asked Ryan about what was going on; the man always seemed to disappear shortly after Ray mentioned the real world, and Ray hated when that happened. He'd rather have a slightly distant version of the Ryan he once knew than no one at all.

In the earlier months he would hear Michael's voice every once in a while, but as time went on he heard less and less from his old friend. And the times he did hear something, it sounded more like Jack's quiet voice speaking to him from somewhere Ray couldn't reach.

Ray started to notice about six months in that he was getting weaker. He'd find himself sitting or standing in the same spot for days, but never sleeping. He'd lose track of time, sitting against a tree at dawn and startling to awareness days, or even weeks later.

Fear pooled in his stomach, anxiety crushing down on his chest as he fought to keep moving, to not lose himself to the monotony of days alone in a city he had walked countless times.

The days Ryan appeared were the best. Having someone to talk to kept him focused. But when Ryan inevitably disappeared after a few hours at most, Ray would be left hoping he could find something to occupy his time before the man returned.

"You look tired," Ryan commented one evening. They were sitting on one of the balconies of the castle, watching the stars again.

Ray snorted. "Funny."

Ryan cocked an eyebrow. "Is it?"

Ray huffed out a heavy breath. "Listen, I've been awake for over half a year now. I thought I'd look more than 'tired'." He leaned his weight back on his hands, straining to hear the sound of cicadas he knew wouldn't chirp, despite being stuck in perpetual late summer.

He almost immediately regretted hinting at his predicament, as he could see Ryan fading away out of the corner of his eye.

"Get some rest," Ryan said as he disappeared.

Ray sighed, tilting his head back towards the sky. He sat for a moment, thoughts starting to drift. Shaking himself, he focused on the stars.

Naming constellations helped pass the time.

* * *

"I've decided Sagittarius is my favorite," Ray said the next time Ryan appeared. He was perched in a tree, the act of balancing himself keeping him from drifting off, though he was exhausted merely from swinging himself up onto the first branch.

Ryan smiled from the ground, head tipped back to focus on Ray. "Really? And why is that?"

Ray shrugged. "You said it's an archer, right? It reminds me of me. And of you, too, I guess." He carefully eased himself down so his back pressed against the trunk of the tree, legs dangling on either side of the branch. He paused to catch his breath, the movement sapping some of his energy, before he continued. "And, I dunno, I can see myself as an archer in the stars. Alone, not able to return to my life, but able to see the whole world anytime I want to."

They were quiet for a moment, the air still for once. Ray rested his head against the bark, the rough texture scraping at his skin.

Eventually, Ryan spoke. "You said it reminded you of me, as well. If you're alone in the stars, then where am I?"

Ray thought, kicking his legs back and forth and letting his heels bounce against the tree. "Maybe we're alone together."

A smiled quirked at Ryan's lips. "And where's Gavin? We're not the only archers, you and I," he murmured.

Ray laughed. "We can't all be in the stars, Ryan. That's ridiculous."

Ryan leaned his shoulder against the tree, grinning. "Of course. My mistake."

"Besides," Ray said, "Gavin has Michael and Geoff and Jack."

"But not you?" Ryan asked, peering at Ray through the leaves.

"No, not me." Ray picked at a hole in his trousers. "I can't be in two places at once. Right now, I'm here with you. Maybe some day I can come back down to Earth." His hands stilled and he twisted to look down at Ryan. "Maybe you can come back, too."

Ryan opened his mouth to respond when suddenly Ray felt a tug at his core, and he gasped, blinking as flickers of light clouded his vision. His breath whooshed out of his lungs, and he gulped in fresh air like he had surfaced from water after nearly drowning.

_"Ray! Can you hear me? Ray, come on, fight it!"_

Ray caught flashes of distant torch light, and the familiar stone that made up the ceiling of his room. There was a blur, then another flash of light. Something was pressed against his lips and he gagged at the taste of a bitter liquid in his mouth.

Another blur, then Jack's face came into view.

_"Ray? That's it, you can fight it!"_

Ray tried to get his limbs to respond, but exhaustion pulled at him, dragging him under. His chest heaved to pull in air, and then he was being sucked back down, spiraling away from Jack and his progressively distant voice.

Ray snapped back to the tree, nearly tumbling out of it in shock. The uncomfortable feeling that had been prickling at the back of his neck all year intensified, spreading across his skin and drawing up goosebumps as it went. He rubbed at his arms, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Ryan was gone, and the grove around him was silent, colors as dim as they had been when he first awoke in this strange world.

"What the hell just happened?" he gasped, body aching as if he had ran miles.

There was no answer, though Ray wasn't expecting one. He tested his limbs and then slid down from the tree, nearly crumpling at the base of it it. He lay on the ground, propped up against the tree and staring at the sky.

 _Fight it_ , Jack had said.

Well, he was certainly going to try.

* * *

Ray spent the following weeks attempting anything he could think of to break free, and fighting against his mounting exhaustion as well.

He paced the halls of the castle and the streets of Achievement City, digging inside his own mind and looking for a way out. The next time Ryan showed up, no matter how much Ray hated to do it, he ignored the other man, waiting until Ryan had disappeared in confusion to resume his efforts.

Jack didn't speak to him anymore, either, leaving Ray at a loss for how to proceed. He didn't even know what he was supposed to be fighting against. All he knew was that every second he spent trapped in his own head, he was getting weaker, and further away from being able to escape.

However, one night as he passed through the dead garden and into the lush courtyard he had visited on his first night, a thought struck him.

He walked over to the bench and picked up his bow, which had been perched against the stone since that night. He ran his thumb over the sleek wood Ryan had helped him carve and then lifted his head.

"Ryan?" he called.

No answer. He tried again.

"Ryan! Come on, this is my head. I know you're here," he shouted.

He heard movement behind him and turned. Ryan stood at the entrance to the path, head cocked to one side.

"You told me something," Ray started before Ryan could speak. "On my first night here, you told me that because of the man you are, I could never have helped you."

Ryan didn't respond, so Ray continued.

"So, I'm sorry," Ray said. "I'm sorry that I couldn't help you. But, you know what?" He paused, locking eyes with Ryan. "That doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying."

Ryan held eye contact with Ray for a moment before dropping his head. "I don't deserve this."

Ray took a step forward. "We don't have to be alone in the stars, Ryan."

Ryan sighed and nodded. "Thank you, Ray," he whispered.

Ray clenched his jaw. "Don't give up."

Ryan smiled sadly. "I'm not real, Ray, remember? Even if you convince me now, there's no telling what I'll do when you wake up."

Ray scanned his brain, trying to think of something to say, but he was interrupted by a harsh pull in his torso. Ryan flickered before him, and then disappeared completely. The world around him shattered, colors melting away and being replaced by flashes of light.

A face blurred across his vision. He struggled towards it, and it solidified to the point where he could make out Jack's features. The world pieced itself back together slowly, blurs shaping into clear images and sounds coming back as high-pitched whines before calming down into a regular pitch.

Ray surfaced, gasping for air as the world snapped into focus around him. Jack swore, nearly dropping the potion he was holding, before realizing that Ray's eyes were open.

"Holy shit!" Jack gasped. "Ray! Oh, I can't believe it!"

"Jack?" Ray rasped, startled when he realized that his voice was nearly nonexistent.

Jack shushed him. "Don't try to move or speak too much yet. You've been asleep for a long time."

Ray focused on regulating his breathing as Jack bustled around him, checking his pulse and peering into his eyes.

"I can't believe it," Jack whispered again.

"W-what's..." Ray's voice trailed off. He tried clearing it, but only winced at the action.

"I told you. Don't try to- Oh!" Jack exclaimed. "Wait a second. I might have something to help you."

He turned around and rummaged through the cabinet behind him before producing a small bottle. The red liquid it contained sloshed as Jack moved.

Jack approached Ray and uncorked the bottle, pressing it to Ray's lips. "Drink this. It'll help."

Ray followed his orders obediently, swallowing the potent liquid and choking slightly. Jack held him steady as Ray took deep breaths. He almost immediately began feeling the effects of the potion. He was still weak, but the potion gave him the extra boost of strength he needed. 

"Can you move?" Jack asked. At Ray's nod, he began ushering Ray out of bed and into his boots. "Come on, we have to hurry."

Jack grabbed his weapons belt and buckled it on, throwing the doors open. He led the way through the castle, going as fast as Ray could.

"What's going on?" Ray questioned, stumbling along after Jack.

"Ryan is about to execute Geoff for treason. We have to stop him before he gets the chance," Jack explained quickly, weaving through the halls.

Ray felt his chest constrict. "What has Ryan done?"

"A lot," Jack sighed. "You missed so many things while you were asleep. We can fill you in later once we stop Ryan."

Ray followed Jack as he burst through the doors of the castle. In the distance, Ray could see a crowd gathered in front of their old houses. Two figures were in the middle, one kneeling down and one standing tall. The one standing held a gleaming sword that Ray recognized even from a distance.

"Ryan changed. He's not the man we once knew," Jack warned as they approached the crowd.

Ray took a steadying breath. The crowd began to part for Jack, and Ray caught a glimpse of Ryan through the mass of people. Jack was right. The Ryan from Ray's memories never had that look on his face.

Gasps rose up around him as the people began to recognize their old king. Jack let out a shout, and the motion around them froze. Ray watched as the crowd opened up, revealing the faces of friends Ray hadn't seen in so long.

"Don't give up," Ray repeated quietly as he locked eyes with Ryan.

This time, he was speaking to himself.


End file.
